


A New Leaf Turns, Marking a New Beginning

by ambivertedintrovert



Category: Disney Duck Universe, Disney Ducks (Comics), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Not Canon Compliant, Reconciliation, just a fic on what i think happened the first time donald and della properly met scrooge, takes place in the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambivertedintrovert/pseuds/ambivertedintrovert
Summary: Scrooge doesn't want to babysit the twins. Or in Hortense's words, 'let them bear with you for a weekend'.He finds out he doesn't mind it that much.
Relationships: Della Duck & Donald Duck, Della Duck & Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck
Kudos: 53





	A New Leaf Turns, Marking a New Beginning

Scrooge McDuck was a man of his word, at least for those he cared about. If he said he would do something, he would do it.

He never said he’d do _this_ , yet here he was.

“ _What do you mean I have to let your rebellious rogues live in my house for a weekend_?” he shouted into the phone, slamming his fist onto the table.

“It was _Quackmore’s_ idea, idiot. I’d have sent them to Elvira’s but she’s the one in need of care right now.”

“But then there’s Quackmore’s siblings! Or Matilda! How could you do this to me?” Hortense sighed at the other end of the line, running a hand through her hair in frustration. She’d forgotten how dramatic Scrooge was.

And he was supposed to be the eldest sibling.

“Scroogey, everyone’s visiting Elvira. And Tilly and I aren’t talking because I talked to you.”

“I never asked you to talk to your _stubborn, self-obsessed_ brother.”

“ _Not the time_. This is for the kids, Scrooge. _Please_.”

“But I haven’t even talked to them properly!”

Hortense gritted her teeth. She missed Matilda in these moments, when she’d mediate and talk some sense into Scrooge. Too bad she and Matilda were on bad terms because _obviously_ talking to Scrooge and getting him back on board seemed logical at the time.

“I know! But there’s no option and accept it or I’ll wring your neck.” Her threat wasn’t an empty one, and she internally cursed herself for shouting at him. Now this would become a fight, and _both_ her siblings wouldn’t talk to her.

 _Where is Quackmore when you need him?_ He always knew what to do, as short-tempered and annoying he acted sometimes. Della had fortunately inherited his ability to control his temper.

Donald, on the other hand, not so much. He got the McDuck temper, and _wow_ , wasn’t that absolutely wonderful.

 _Why is Scrooge taking so long to answer?_ She would have internally panicked if an accented voice (probably the butler) hadn’t spoken a short pause later.

“Mr. McDuck says he’ll do it.”

“Really? I mean, of course he will.” And she put down the receiver, burying her face in her hands.

She hoped the children would forgive her for making them put up with a grumpy old man for the weekend.

* * *

“Wait, Pa, you mean _the_ Scrooge McDuck? The literal adventurer billionaire uncle?” Della was practically bouncing on her heels and jumped in for a hug. Quackmore let out an awkward laugh, putting his arms around his daughter. He tried to avoid the sulky faces of his wife and his son.

“But Pa, we’re worried about Grandma too,” Donald spoke, his voice barely audible. Moreover, this was the same uncle who had hurt his whole family only a few years ago. What’s to say he wouldn’t do it again?

A pair of arms wrapped around him, and he looked up to meet his mother’s sad gaze. Quackmore would have probably done the same if Della hadn’t been clinging to his leg.

“But Don, Ma and Pa said Grandma’s gonna be okay. We don’t want to worry them by being right in between. ‘Sides, our cousins won’t be there either.”

“Your sister’s right, you know,” Quackmore said gently, lines creasing his forehead. “And don’t worry, we’ll be back before you know it.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“And kids, if your uncle even speaks a word against you give it right back to him. He’s a selfish old miser and he deserves it.” Hortense’s words brought a sly grin to Donald’s face.

“They’re kids, dear. Don’t prepare them for revenge this soon.”

“What do you know, Quackmore,” Hortense fondly shook her head as she spoke, and gathered the family into a group hug. She mentally made a note to ask Donald if Scrooge took them on an adventure or ended up swearing after the weekend. 

She had a feeling Scrooge would be in for a lecture anyway.

*

“Duckworth why did you say that? I’m not taking care of those two.”

“But -”

“ _You_ said I would, so you do it. I have a board meeting anyway.”

“If you would just listen to me, Mr. McDuck, I believe it would be good for you if you talked to your family.”

“I talk to Hortense and Quackmore.”

“You mean _they_ talked to you.” Duckworth rolled his eyes, and Scrooge knew the only reason Duckworth wasn’t fired was because of his loyalty. He stayed put in his seat and thought of a solution that seemed to work.

“I’m sitting in my lobby,” he finally said, “Tell the kids to help themselves and you have to restrict them to only a few areas. If you need me call me.”

“That would be okay, Mr. McDuck.”

A distant doorbell rang, and Scrooge gripped his cane tighter. He made his way to the front door, suppressing the feeling of climbing out of the nearest window and returning to the manor three days later.

No, he wasn’t ready to do this, and _curse his kilts_ was he about to mess up.

*

They had been running around the mansion for hours, dodging Scrooge at every corner.

“Donnie, wait!”

“Tired already?” Donald stuck out his tongue at his sister, who lagged behind him. Della was having her own display of anger.

“ _You_ didn’t help Duckworth take our luggage up and down the stairs.”

“But I helped him with the muffins, and I tried to do it just like Ma does, and that’s perfection. That was tiring too,” Donald gloated with his head held high as if he had done a lot, and Della playfully shoved him.

“Wait till I tell Pa you didn’t help me carry the luggage like ‘a gentleman should’.” The girl imitated her father’s accent and playfully ruffled her brother’s hair. Donald pushed her hand away with a laugh.

“Wait till I tell Pa you broke Uncle Scrooge’s chandelier.”

“Wait till I tell Ma _and_ Pa you went into Uncle Scrooge’s office without permission.”

“Wait till I tell-”

“Curse me kilts where are those two capricious kids?” The two children immediately stopped their empty threats, and ducked into a corner.

“Mr McDuck, I remember Ms Hortense had told you not to curse in front of them.”

“ _Ms Hortense_ had also told me to ‘ _get out of my line of sight while I unwillingly let my kids bear with you for a weekend, Scroogey_ ’, when those children will be ruining _my_ house!” Scrooge hit his cane on the floor as if to emphasise the fact, mocking his sister pretty well for a person who rarely met her.

“Your sister and brother-in-law asked you to take care of them for two days. Just talk to your niece and nephew and time will fly by.”

“Bah! Time is money, Duckworth, and I’m not spending it on two happy-go-lucky hooligans. Family is nothing but trouble.” Scrooge marched out of the room and started shouting their names, clearly exasperated. He had already incurred a few losses due to the changing economy, and broken chandeliers and artefacts just added to the trouble.

Della glanced at her brother, who seemed to be in deep thought. “Donald?”

“Yeah, Dell?”

“Duckworth’s nicer than Scrooge.”

“You didn’t know that?” There was a pause, and Donald suddenly turned his attention towards her. Della could practically see the gears turning in his head.

“Scrooge said family’s trouble, right?”

“Yeah, he did,” Della’s face fell as she spoke. She had heard quite a lot of stories about her uncle from her parents (mainly from Quackmore, Hortense never really seemed to care), and now she just felt... empty. She had been looking forward to meeting the richest duck in the world.

Donald noticed her sudden change of mood. But he’d cheer her up, because that’s what big siblings are for. “Hey, Dell, chin up. He said we’re trouble, and we’ll be more than any trouble he’s faced! Remember what Mom said? It’d serve him right.” He flashed a grin her way and set a hand on her shoulder, a sudden twinkle in his eyes.

It wasn’t the best idea, of course, but it was worth it. Della soon sent a smile matching his, and they began brainstorming.

The Duck twins were back.

* * *

...And he lost them. He lost two kids in a literal _mansion_ , and all the windows were wide open.

Hortense would never let him stay alive after this. It wasn’t his fault she accidently cut ties with Matilda, and here he was cutting ties with her himself.

“Donald! Della!”

Scrooge had seen children before. He’d taken care of his sisters when they were small, and he had looked after the occasional others. He grew up a lot faster than the average child, and he told everyone he didn’t mind.

He did though. He’d usually consider it a waste of time, but sometimes, he’d sit in his room with his memories and wishes, reminiscing and torturing himself with what could’ve been.

Having his own family wasn’t on his mind. He’d left that thought behind a little over a hundred and ten years ago in the snow. The relation with his present family was strained too, and neither of his sisters really encouraged his ways.

“Donald! Della! Come here or I’m going to lock you two in a room and you’ll never escape it.” He muttered something like ‘rambunctious rascals’ under his breath, and Della and Donald giggled.

“He’ll never find us here, just wait and watch,” Donald whispered confidently, grinning at the way his uncle continued complaining.

“Oh my gosh, Don, listen. I think he’s swearing in Gaelic.”

“Wait till Ma hears him.”

“This is so funny!” The two of them laughed and joked around, their uncle now the least of their childish worries.

At least until they were picked up by a pair of hands.

“Mr. McDuck, I think I have found your niece and nephew.”

“That will do, Duckworth. Thank you.” The twins awkwardly stood in front of their uncle, hands behind their back and trying to appear guilty.

Donald’s face broke into a smirk the very next second.

“C’mon Uncle Scrooge. Admit it, you had fun.”

“If you think that your game of hide-and-seek was fun for me, you’re out of your mind, lad.”

“Mom says you sit around in the office the entire day. Luckily for you, we’ve provided a distraction.”

“But Don,” Della pulled on her brother’s sleeve, sensing the absolutely seething uncle right in front of them, “he’s a world-class adventurer. I don’t think we really did make him run around that much.”

“Please, Dell, you know-”

“We’re sorry Unca’ Scrooge. Right Don?”

“Wait, wh-”

“ _I said_ , we’re sorry Unca’ Scrooge.”

“Yeah, yeah we are.” Donald copied the way his sister apologised, still not knowing _why_ she wanted to.

Scrooge looked between the twins, as if to check if they really meant it, and he crossed his arms. “I’m not sure if I should really forgive you-”

“Please, Unca’ Scrooge? We’re sorry!” Donald clutched his hands together, hiding a sly smile as he bowed his head. He had caught onto Della’s plan, and oh boy he was going to follow it.

The puppy eyes he gave a second later probably did the trick, and Scrooge softened. “Okay, you can play. Don’t break anything else though, will you? I can’t risk more money.”

“ _Yessiree_!” And with a mock salute, and a quick hug from Della, the twins ran out of the room shouting at the top of their voices.

Scrooge stiffened. “What was that?”

“I believe you call that a hug, Mr. McDuck.”

“I _know_ what a hug is, Duckworth! I meant those two! They- They just used me for their game!”

“I believe they did. Ms Hortense and Mr Quackmore will be extremely pleased to hear this story.”

\----

They wrecked the mansion, tearing it apart mercilessly with reckless abandon. Shredding it to pieces and managing to stick it back together with duct tape, with gaping tears still visible.

Dinner wasn’t unusual. Scrooge was grumbling about taxes and insurances, and Della and Donald were sitting like angels, as if they hadn’t just destroyed a man’s home. If Duckworth was angry about the mess, he didn’t say so.

Of course they were made to clean it up the next day. Duckworth was very particular about cleanliness and the two of them with dustbins and paint in their hands was truly a sight to behold.

It was exhausting, nonetheless, and they managed to find some time to spare. Scrooge, surprisingly, didn’t mind joining them.

“You’re both hard working,” the billionaire finally said, crouching down in front of them. “I know cleaning the house is pretty menial, but the way you worked together? It was amazing! Like that time you managed to coordinate each other’s movements while painting that room! I would say it was a smart decision.”

“ _My_ decision,” laughed Della, a glint in her eyes.

“Shut up Dumbella. I helped.”

“Yes you did, lad,” and pride welled up in Scrooge’s chest.

This was his family, and he had missed so much. He was going to ask Hortense for some old photos.

“I think you’ll be going on adventures with me in a while.”

“You do?” Della nearly exploded in excitement, and Donald set a hand on her shoulder.

“Ma said no.”

“Ach, we’ll convince her. Younger siblings should listen to their older siblings.”

Donald jumped in at this and smirked at Della, who merely rolled her eyes. They spent the rest of the evening, delving deep into the past, Scrooge talking about his past and bringing their family to a new light. They fell asleep eventually, and Scrooge greeted the twins’ parents with a soft smile on his face.

It hadn’t been expected, but Scrooge had unknowingly integrated himself into the family after a while. Visits grew more often, even with Hortense’s restrictions. Della had never thought anything could be less boring, and the new things they found out every time they went there had convinced her nothing could be better than this.

Della was wrong, because the very next day, the twins nearly cried in joy when they heard their parents talking with Scrooge from behind the door. Failing to put on a neutral face when their parents told them the news later, they hugged eachother in excitement.

They were going to go on their first adventure with Scrooge, and they would do this right.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to contact me @your-local-semi-nerd on tumblr :)


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